Maine man with history of stealing cars arrested again

A man from Warren with a long criminal history is facing new charges, accused of scamming vehicles from auto dealerships.

Police say Robert Steiner used checks from a frozen or blocked account to buy a 2018 Dodge Caravan and a 2019 Ford Ranger from Wiscasset Ford in late November and early December.

During their investigation, police learned that Steiner was a suspect in two similar cases in Knox County as well as Michigan and Florida. A vehicle reported stolen from Knox County was found at the Portland International Jetport on December 6.

On December 11, police found the Caravan in Hamden. Officers learned Steiner had given the van to a woman from Northport as a gift.

Wiscasset police were able to track Steiner to a home in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Local police arrested Steiner after a brief foot chase. They also found the Ranger pickup truck reported stolen in Wiscasset.

Police say they believe there may be other victims of what they are calling a crime spree.

In 2004, Steiner was arrested on theft and forgery charges accusing him of using aliases and forged paperwork to swindle dealerships in the Portland area out of seven vehicles.